Device for treating spinal columns



y 1954 s. P. Uk-RICH DEVICE FOR TREATING- SPINAL COLUMNS Filed Jul 23, 1951 lNvEN oR 5126 FRlED P ULPucH- m A oczmzys Patented July 13, 1954 UNITED res-r DEVIGE FORTREATENG SPINAL GOIiU-IVINS ;Sie gfried Ester-Ulrich, Zurich, Switzerland Application 'July' 23, 1951,. SeriaPNo. 12238109 The present invention relates ate a device f or extending the spinal column. Variousexperiments carried outin'thepast'have shown that the strength of the spine increases :from. the cervical vcrtebratowards the lumbar vertebra, whilst the connectionbetween the lumbar section and the sacrum, again, is considerably weaker. It is thereforeclear thatonthe application of linear tension,-which is efifected clinicallyby an extensor, .to the vertebral column, the weakest part thereof is expanded, whilst the central-portion, which "is strongest, remains unaffected. The history of extension treatment shows that these circumstancesand more particularly the greater/tensile resistance 'of the spinal column in the-lumbanreg-ion, have hitherto been insuiiiciently allowed for in practice. Yet it is evident that, on neurosurgical grounds, extension is desirable precisely -in-the lumbar section. The problem of the extension of the lumbarsection or" the spineis solved by "the inventive construction, the principle of which is based notonly on linearextension, but also on fiexion of the lumbar section' In the annexed drawing an embodiment of the inventionzis shown'inraperspective view.

Gn a base 5, two jaws -3 andA are mounted by means of struts 2. Jaw;3 ;is;fixed, whilst jaw t is mounted on a carriage 5 ,whichrcan be.moved to and fro by means of a spindle rotatable by a hand crank 8. An arm I, which carries a cushion or pad 8 to support the head of the subject, is secured to the struts 2. On the base i a carriage it is so mounted in guides ll as-to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the device. The sliding displacement is effected by means of a handwheel l2. A slide I3 arranged on the carriage i0 is capable of sliding displacement in the direction transversal to the movement of the carriage and is guided in guideways is provided on the carriage. Displacement of theslide I3 is efiected by turning a handwheel,

53a. Two gripping jaws [5, between which a ball I6 is arranged, are secured to the slide l3. Said ball carries a bracket Ilia at the respective ends of which are provided a fixed jaw l1 and a jaw 18 slidable to and fro in relation to said fixed. jaw ll. Adjustment of the jaw I8 is effected through a spindle l9 with the aid of a hand crank 20. Also rigidly secured to the bracket Ilia is a frame 2| in which tworails 22 are so mounted as to pivot independently of each other. By means ofarms 23, each rail can be fixed at any desired angle of inclination. By means of a screwed spindle 25 provided with a :2 crank Edythe ball ts can be clamped fast-botween the clamping jaws l5.

Mounted on the slide I 3, between thetwo pairs of jaws 3,4 and t1, I8,*-is a-support 2 6, adjustable for height, andcarrying an interchangeable pad 2?. The pad is always seleoted of a size appropriateto the circumstances of the moment. It would also-be-possibleto arrangeaplurality of pads on the support 26;

In order to periorrn ior instance, the straight legibending test (Lasguehthe subjects bodyis fixed under theshouldersby the jaws 3, 4, whilst the jaws Ii and t8 fix the spina iliaca of the pelvis. The pelvis then:rests, together with its clamping jaws t'i and-lion the ball-and-socket joint It, it, which, owing tdthe displaceaoility both of the carriage l6 and of the slide l3, can be shifted both in thelongitudinal. direction and sideways. It would also :be possible to mount the jaws i! and? in such a way :as to be also adjustable for height. "The pivotal :point of this ball-and-sccket :joint llies almost directly under the pelvis. The-pad 2 1, likewise adjustable in any desired direction, then presses-on the apex of the desiredpoint of the lumbar section, the corresponding inclination of the pelvis in any desired direction being obtainable by means .of the :ball-and-sockct joint. In-order to venable the. flexing of the lurnbar section to take effect over a greater distance, =various attachments for the pad are-provided, as alreadymentioned. In conjunction with the fixation of the pelvis, the two rails 22, which are hinged independently of each other, serve to bring the lower extremities into the necessary positions. Through onesided elevation of the rails it is possible to carry out the straight leg bending test (Lasegue) or its various modifications.

Turning now to the technique of extension, the patient is first accurately fixed by the jaws 3, 4, ll, 18. Exact adaptation of. the distance between the two pairs of jaws to the torso is obtained by linear displacement of the carriage H! by means of the handwheel I2. By means of the two hand cranks 6 and 20, the appurtenant jaws'are applied accurately to the upper body and the pelvis respectively. Thereupon the pad 21 is set below the apex of the desired flexion of the lumbar section. Thereupon a pain is provoked by the straight arm bend test (Laseguian Experiment) by elevating the leg rails. With this, the preparations for extension are completed.

Experimentally, the pelvis is now adjusted on the ball-and-socket joint 6 until freedom from pain is achieved by the appropriate flexing of the lumbar vertebrae. This position is then fixed by tightening the crank 24 and thereby clamping the ball [6. In this position it is now possible, if desired or necessary, to obtain a supplementary linear tension by turning the handwheel I2. For scientific work, the device can be equipped with a variety of measuring instruments to enable the extension to be measured. Thus, for instance, the linear tension can be ascertained by means of a spring balance, the angle of inclination of the pelvis by a plumbline, the elevation of the legs by a graduated scale, and the pressure of the spine on the pad by a tensometer.

The inventive device can also be used for roentgenography and for spinal operations, and also for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The device enables precise extension, hitherto not possible, of the spinal column to be obtained at any desired point, and also enables the amount K of such extension to be precisely determined at any time.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the nature described for treatment of the spinal column; a frame, a first pair of jaw elements on the frame adjustable laterally relative to each other to grip a patient in the region of the shoulder, a second pair of jaw elements spaced longitudinally from the first pair of jaw elements operable for substantially rigidly gripping a patient in the pelvic region and also laterally adjustable relative to each other, a slide on the frame beneath said second pair of jaws adjustable longitudinally and laterally of the frame, one part of a ball-and-socket joint on said slide and the other part on said second pair of jaw elements for swivelly supporting the second pair of jaw elements on this slide, said pairs of jaw elements being elevated above said frame so that a patients body will hang free therebetween, a supporting post rising upwardly from said slide between the said pairs of jaw elements, said post being vertically adjustable, and a pad removably mounted on the upper end of said post to supportingly engage a limited area of the patients spine in the lumbar region.

2. In an arrangement as set forth in claim 1. in which means are provided for locking the said parts of said ball-and-socket joint together in any desired position of adjustability.

3. In an arrangement as set forth in claim 1, including straight leg boards extending longitudinally from the side of the second pair of jaw elements opposite the first pair of jaw elements, said leg boards being pivotally connected with said second pair of jaw elements for swinging movements in a vertical plane.

4. In an arrangement as called for in claim 2, including straight leg boards extending longitudinally from the side of the second pair of jaw elements opposite the first pair of jaw elements, said leg boards being pivotally connected with said second pair of jaw elements for swinging movements in a vertical plane.

5. In an arrangement as set forth in claim 3, including means for locking the said leg boards in anydesired position of respective adjustment thereof.

6. In an arrangementas set forth in claim 1, including means for locking the said leg boards in any desired position of respective adjustment thereof.

"7. In a device for the extension of the vertebral column; two pairs of spaced jaws for gripping the body of a patient in the shoulder region and in the pelvic region, said pairs of jaws being adjustable relative to each other and the body of the patient being unsupported between the jaws, a universally adjustable ball and socket joint supporting the pair of jaws for gripping the patient in the pelvic region, a vertically extending supporting column positioned between said pairs of jaws, means on said device to vertically adjust said column, and a padded upper portion detachably mounted on the upper end of said column, said upper portion being universally adjustable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 49,132 Mcllroy Aug. 1, 1865 901,628 Langworthy Oct. 20, 1908 2,035,869 Denison Mar. 31, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 13,398 Great Britain of 1885 360,416 France Feb. 22, 1906 

